Research

ESII has pioneered the Engineering Systems approach to election systems integrity.

Over the past two decades, the nascent discipline of engineering systems has evolved towards developing a systems theoretic framework, including new pedagogies and lingua franca, to comprehend the complexity of large-scale systems involving multiple stakeholders. These developments are essential to build and deliver systems that meet stakeholders’ implicit and explicit needs. Engineering systems recognize that the needs of stakeholders – voters, in this case – can best be addressed through a socio-technical systems approach in defining the properties of such systems.

Voter Rolls

There is a significant issue in counties and states maintaining voter rolls that are up-to-date.

Signature Verification

The signature verification process is currently unverifiable, opaque, and without oversight.

Ballot Images

Many counties and states are violating 52 USC 20701 that demands the preservation of all records generated in connection with a federal election for 22 months.

Standardized Operation Procedures (SOPs)

Counties and states have shown a consistent recalcitrance in making available to the public SOPs that define the details of election systems processes.

  • Ensure voter rolls are up-to-date before an election.
  • Preserve ballot images for all federal elections as required by law.
  • Develop an engineering systems metric to measure the error of signature verification.
  • Define a framework for ensuring SOPs are accessible with ease to every citizen.

Our team is central to the Institute

Our team is committed to an engineering systems approach to advance fair and transparent elections.

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